


Warming to You

by Me1622



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Between The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus) and The Hidden Oracle (Trials of Apollo), Demigods, Developing Relationship, Established Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Nico di Angelo and Will Solace are Cute, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace Fluff, NicoxWill, Post-The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus), Post-War, Solangelo Week, herosofolympus, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22277728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Me1622/pseuds/Me1622
Summary: A fluffy Solangelo thing, Nico and Will alone *wink* by the campfire. Get an insight into their thoughts about each other, and if you're lucky, witness the spark of something beautiful.Just trust me, it's Solangelo it has to be cute.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace/Orginal Male Character(s)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 140
Collections: Solangelo, Solangelo Fics





	1. The Spark

The echo of song hung in the air like the sparks that had escaped the flames. Will Solace sat by Camp Half-Blood's enchanted campfire and listened to the echos. Sometimes he joined them, other times he just let them play out in his head, filling the silence. He recalled a particularly terrible ballad sung by Percy and Piper. He began to point out that there was no way in Hades that Percy could be related to sirens when he realised the other half of his conversation had begun to doze against his shoulder. Will didn't mind so much; any contact he could share with the self-proclaimed 'Ghost King' was welcomed.

He sat gazing at the enchanted flames, lying low due to the lack of enthused campers surrounding it, when a most unexpected thing happened. The son of Hades slipped from his shoulder and lay in his lap. The fire shot up, in tune with Will's shock. Once he had recovered himself, he leaned over slowly, to see if Nico was still asleep. Had his movement been intentional? No, Will confirmed, the son of Hades had not awoken.

Holy Hera 

The Nico di Angelo was asleep, his head in Will's lap. Will had been in awe of the guy since the first Titan War. Nico had been the second guy to ever grab Will's attention that way. He would never admit it, but Will had previously had a thing for Percy Jackson, for a short time - who hadn't? - but he got over that quick. That school-yard-type crush had been completely pushed aside when he met Nico.

There were many things about Nico that Will found endearing. Sure, he was cute, in a dark, brooding kind of way. He was also powerful, as he had demonstrated countless times; surviving alone in the Labyrinth, summoning armies of the dead to fight in the Battle for Manhatten, and shadow-traveling the Athena Parthenos as well as his companions halfway around the world in a matter of weeks. In Will's opinion, neither Percy nor Jason held a candle to Nico's power. Of course, it wasn't just the extent of his abilities, but how he used them - so utterly selflessly.

He'd been dealt a rough hand in life, but despite everything he'd been through, everything Nico did he did for others. And of course, the fate of the world, sometimes. Admittedly, he was stubborn, seclusive, and tended to scowl at anyone who happened to pass him by. But Will saw the hope and light peeking through the dark shroud Nico had wrapped so tightly around himself. 

It, therefore, was quite a shock for Will to find that guy - the Nico - who he admired so greatly, peacefully asleep in his lap. In this state, the worry almost disappeared from Nico's face, warmly lit by the glow of the fire. Will couldn't help but notice that Nico looked simply angelic in the light of the dancing flames, just like his surname, di Angelo. 

They had been growing close for some time now, ever since the war with Gaia, when Will had forced Nico to spend time in the infirmary, much to his patient's dismay. Now, however, he saw Nico as more a friend than a patient. As much as he wanted there to be more between them, Will knew his limits. Nico hated any contact he had with other people, physical or otherwise. It had taken weeks for Will to be able to even sit next to him this way. He doubted Nico would be very impressed with the situation when he woke, but Will decided he would face the backlash when it came. It was worth it for these precious few moments he had.

Will gently stroked Nico's hair as he slept, marveling at his own actions. How many times had he seen Nico run his hands through his hair? Often when he was flustered or frustrated, both occurred very frequently in Will's company. How many times had he wanted to be the one to push Nico's ever-growing fringe out of his eyes, or tuck his hair behind his ear? Nico had a tendency to do that when he was thinking, though Will doubt he even noticed he did. There were a lot of things Will noticed about Nico that others didn't. Like even though he seemed determined to push people away, Will knew Nico was desperately lonely, and he wanted to be the one to change that. 

They sat like this until the sky faded from blue to pink, to a hazy purple. The first of the stars came and went, and the moon began to rise in the sky. Silently, baking in its brilliant light, Will prayed to his aunt crossing the sky, his father who had disappeared from view and all the God's up on Olympus for many more moments like this. Moments where Will could pretend for a time, however small, that things were okay. Of course, such moments could never last. 

The fire, which had been a quiet, soft yellow suddenly flared a dark and dangerous burnt orange, as Will heard the screech of the first Harpies coming out for the night. He needn't worry yet, the first call was merely a warning. But he did, despite how little he wanted to, needed to wake Nico, and head back to the cabins. 

Will already felt guilty at what he had to do. Nico was sleeping so soundly, not a trace of a nightmare seemed to cross his face, which Will knew was a rarety. With worried consideration of the consequences of waking the slumbering angel before him, Will leaned closer, to coax him awake.

"Nico? Neeks?" Will whispered, stroking Nico's angular cheekbones with his thumb. The son of Hades stirred for the first time all night. "Hey," Will whispered," Morning sunshine." Will grinned despite himself. 

Nico, turned, facing towards Will, his eyes still shut tight, clinging to his place between sleep and awake.

"Don't call me sunshine" he mumbled at Will's torso. His dark, sleep-filled, melancholy eyes opened slowly, gradually letting in the light of the dying fire. When he was met with the brilliant orange of Will's shirt he froze, seeming to realise the predicament he found himself in. He sat up awkwardly, mumbled a clumsy goodnight and rose to leave the campfire ground.

"Wait," Will called before he could stop himself, "Uh, let me walk with you." He'd meant it as a suggestion, but it escaped him as a question. A pathetically desperate question, Will thought to himself, miserably. Nico's eyes flicked between his and the ground. To Will's amazement and sheer delight, he nodded once, curtly, and slowly turned towards the cabins, allowing Will time to scramble to his feet and follow. 

It may have been a trick of the light or a result of sitting too close to the warm fire, but Will swore that what he caught of Nico's face before he turned away was flushed a deep pink.

A/N Sorry if this was a little dry, the next one will be fluffier I hope, I sort of just went off on a tangent about Will's thoughts. But yeah, until next time.


	2. The Ignition

Holy Schist Nico you freak, Nico thought to himself, what'd you have to go and do that for. I should just open up the ground and let it swallow me. That would be less disturbing than falling asleep in Will freaking Solace's lap. 

Nico tried to calm down, lest he draw even more attention to himself. He slowed his breathing down and attempted to control the flush spreading through his cheeks. He had tried to turn away from Will when he first awoke before it became too obvious, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Will had seen the blush creep up his cheeks. 

Nico was, to put it simply, mortified. He had unintentionally jeopardised one of the few friendships he hadn't yet tarnished. He had let Will see him vulnerable, exposed, asleep. He should have been more careful.

He had to do something. Should he apologize to Will? Or would that come across as weird? In Will's eyes, there might not have been anything wrong with what had happened. Of course, Nico was embarrassed, but Will had no reason to be. Hang on a second, Nico thought, What reason do I have to feel embarrassed? I mean sure I'm... what I am, but that has nothing to do with Will. 

Nico still found it hard to label his feelings like that. His... problem, as he viewed it, was nothing really to hide in the 21st century. There was the odd homophobic person out there, but Nico wasn't worried about that. He could deal with anyone who crossed him, battling monsters of the supernatural and mortal kind. No, him facing his sexuality had nothing to do with the expectations of others, and everything to do with him.

Being open about who he was would have been unthinkable in the 1940s. He knew times had changed, but it was still difficult for him to face that part of his identity, and to share it with others. Even people he now considered his friends, or as close to friends as someone like him, could get. The main reason for this was if he acknowledged - if he admitted - that he was gay, he would be expected to act on it. If he had to guess, Nico expected the conversation would go something like this:

By the way, I'm gay

That's cool. Who do you have a crush on?

Of course, he had already sort of told Percy, and by default Annabeth, but he felt obliged to do that. After all, it was Percy he'd had a crush on. But he didn't feel that way anymore. Percy was someone he idolised, sure, but could never imagine a relationship with him. He wasn't Nico's type. He much preferred someone like...

Nico's thoughts were interrupted, as he felt Will's hand brush against his. Immediately, the blush he had been trying to fight down flared again, and his attention scattered in a million different directions. Oh, my Gods! Did he mean to do that? Is he trying to make a move? Am I reading too far into this? What do I do? WHY DO I EVEN CARE? Do you think he likes me? For the love of Zeus, what do I do?

Holy Schist, Nico thought, for the second time that night. I much prefer someone like Will. The realisation that he was crushing on Will hit him like Styx water. By shifting his perspective, Nico suddenly understood why he had been acting so strange since returning to camp with the Athena Parthenos. 

Will Solace had been one of the first people he'd seen upon arrival, sneaking up on the Roman Onagers. He had called Will stupid and impulsive when he truly thought him to be brave for volunteering for such a dangerous mission. During that confrontation, Will had grabbed his hand and sent what felt like an electric current down Nico's spine. He assumed at that time, that it was just a reaction from touching another person so intimately, which he had rarely done prior to then, or perhaps the result of Will's light and healing powers mixing with Nico's powers of darkness and destruction. He hadn't thought to consider the fact that maybe when he saw Will, his heart had done backflips. That made him angry. He had lashed out. 

Now, post-war, Nico had tried to rebuild his somewhat friendship with Will, despite his imprisoning Nico in the infirmary. Nico didn't know why saving that friendship had mattered to him, until now. 

Screw it, he thought, and without hesitation, Nico slipped his hand into Wills'. Like before, it sent a shockwave through his nerves. His heartbeat quicked, and he waited for Wills's hand to be snatched away. To his utter bewilderment, Will's hand did not remove itself from his. Their fingers intertwined, and Will gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Nico resisted the urge to look over at Will, for his face was burning, and he wasn't sure he could address his sudden forwardness without becoming a red, rambling mess.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, as Nico's head interrogated his heart. Why Will?

When he thought it was safe, Nico sneaked a look over at Will. The son of Apollo was looking straight ahead, so confidently, as the light from the evening sky illuminated his face, highlighting the harsher lines of his figure. He looked so etherial, so unreal, Nico could scarcely believe it was the dorky doctor he'd come to know walking beside him, hand in hand.

There was something about this night in particular that had made Will seem even more surreal. Earlier, as the dying moments of his sleep had faded, Nico had looked up at Will and been at a loss for words. Whereas now it was silver light that reflected on his face, it had been gold light from the fire that bathed Will when Nico woke. The light of the moon gave Will an imperial, unearthly appearance, but the soft, warmer glow of the flames had made him look truly god-like. 

Will had inherited many of his father's traits; his athletic build, piercing blue eyes, and shaggy blonde hair. He was the wilder looking version of Jason Grace. But next to Jason, or even Apollo, Will looked far more god-like in Nico's eyes. 

He recalled a conversation he had heard, from what seemed like an eternity ago. A conversation between Percy Jackson and Thalia Grace, about Apollo, before Nico had arrived at camp for the first time. 

"He's hot," Thalia had said

"He's the sun god," Percy had replied, in his humorous, dorky way.

"That's not what I meant," Thalia had muttered in response.

Nico hadn't understood that brief exchange back then, but after seeing Will like that, like a living incarnation of Apollo, Nico couldn't deny it. Will was hot.

But it wasn't just that. Sure Apollo was gorgeous, in an immortal, surfer, god-ish kind of way. And Percy had been cute in a dorky, skater guy, childhood idol sort of sense. But Will was so much better than both of them. Because Will was real. He was here. He was holding Nico's hand. And Nico, against every dark and ghostly bone in his body, loved that.

He loved this contact, however small, and insignificant. He had pushed everyone away. He hated interacting with others because they didn't act or think or feel like he did. But this? This innocent, affectionate gesture? It meant more to Nico than anything else in the world, at that time. 

It was why he truly loved Will. Not because he held his hand, or let him fall asleep in his lap, although, Nico certainly wasn't complaining. It was the fact that Will fought for him, for his attention. He forced Nico to spend three days in the infirmary because he cared so Gods damn much. It was Will's persistence, care and his utter selflessness that Nico loved so much.

No one had ever treated Nico like that before - shown that level of care. Everyone just kind of acknowledged his presence and went about their lives. Even Percy just kind of accepted the way Nico had changed after Bianca's death and moved his attention to the next global threat that came his way, the noble idiot. 

But Will truly cared for Nico, he knew it. Even if it wasn't that way. Even if Nico desperately wanted, more than anything for it to be that way...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N So, a little bit fluff, more next chapter. If you just care about the plot, by all means, ignore the rest of this note it isn't very important.
> 
> Okay if you're still reading, quick story-time. I have this '3 am Journal' thing that my friend gave, and I leave it by my bed in case inspiration hits me or something. It's been buried under a mound of books pretty much since I got it. Anyway, I wake up one morning and it's been moved to the top of the pile. Obviously I'm very confused so I open it and five pages worth of plot and dialogue are written down for this story - and I don't remember writing any of it, though it is definitely my handwriting. So, if you've enjoyed the story, you have her to thank because otherwise, we wouldn't have a plot.


	3. The Eruption

Nico wanted to sneak a glance at Will - hoping and dreading that he would catch the son of Apollo's eye - but all to soon, they arrived at the Hades cabin. They climbed the front steps and arrived at the door, where Will let go of Nico's hand. 

Nico hadn't realised how reassuring Will's hand had really felt until it was gone. It was an anchor for him, to this world, and now he felt like he was fading, just as he had after shadow traveling weeks ago. Will had insisted he rest then - what would he prescribe now, if he knew?

"Well, I guess I should probably get going," Will said, flicking he head back, gesturing to the other cabins and interrupting Nico's thoughts. He turned to leave, a timid smile on his face. He had just begun the descent down the stairs when Nico reached forward and grabbed his wrist.

"Will, wait," he said, surprising himself, and the other boy. Will turned, and gazed up at him, with those crystal clear blue eyes. 

"Yeah?" He replied, his voice quiet and soft.

Gently, Nico pulled him back up the steps, immersing him in the light of the torches outside the Hades cabin. He looked out of place in their eerie, green glow. Once he had reached the top of the stairs, he stood, looking down at the son of Hades. They stood there, staring, taking each other in, searching each other's faces.

How Nico wanted to touch Will's face. To softly trace his cheekbones with his fingers, to brush his shaggy hair out of his eyes. His gaze flickered from those eyes to Will's lips. How he wanted to touch them, but not with his hands...

"Uh," coughed Will, "Nico? The harpies will probably be..."

But Nico never heard what the harpies would probably be doing, because at that moment, against his better judgment, against the fates or the Gods or anyone else, Nico di Angelo kissed Will Solace. 

Will, blown away by the sudden turn of events, didn't know how to react. Then his head handed his heart the reins, and he leaned into the kiss. Nico lost all concentration, and without realising, he let Will's wrist, which he had still been holding, fall. He balled up his hands to keep them from shaking beside him. Will completely disagreeing with this, edged his hand back towards Nico's ever so slightly, until he felt his fingertips brush Nico's. Nico unfurled his fingers and let Will slip his hand in his, knitting their fingers together until he could feel both their racing heartbeats within the palm pressed against his own.

Will's other hand snaked its way around Nico's waist, tentatively drawing Nico towards him. In response, Nico reached up with his free hand and wrapped it around Will's neck, bringing him down even closer, running his fingers through the ends of Will's curly locks. 

The arm Will had around Nico tightened, crushing the son of Hades against him. His slim, surgeons fingers wrapped themselves up so tightly in Nico's shirt as if they could meld together. At one point, someone made a guttural, whimpering sound, but neither really knew who. Both parties attempted to close the distance between them as if trying to become one person; molding the light and the dark together into one eternal dusk. 

Out of nowhere, an ecstatic "WHOOP!" could be heard ringing out across the grounds. Nico almost sighed in annoyance. Jackson, he thought. The kiss continued without disruption, but Nico sent out a little warning to their onlooker.

To his shock, a skeletal hand rose out of the ground in between Percy Jackson's feet, in front of the Poseidon cabin. The hand elevated a single finger towards him and then disappeared back into the earth. Nico heard Percy yelp, and then swear to himself as he made his way inside the cabin, and he smiled.

Will pulled away, bewildered - potentially at the disruption but more likely at the son of Hades smile when he felt it against his own. He was breathing heavily, eyes flicking around like a startled animal. They settled on Nico's eyes, staring into their murky depths.

"What...?" he began to ask, at a loss for words, his chest rising and falling in time with Nico's own racing heart. 

"Don't worry about it," Nico said, before reaching up a hand to cup Will's flushed face. He rose onto his tiptoes and shared with Will, a final, deep, lingering kiss, to which the son of Apollo was happy to oblige. They drew back slowly, breathing each other in, resting forehead to forehead. Nico barely wanted to open his eyes lest he found it to be a dream from which he was about to be brutally woken. 

He forced them open, to see Will enduring the same eternal struggle, his eyes still squeezed tightly shut. His long lashes fluttered, and his eyes opened instantly meeting Nico's gaze. They stood that way, gazing at each other, their breathing becoming even, but their thoughts still racing fast. 

Will was the first to break the silence, clearing his throat. "I guess I ah," he laughed nervously, "I should probably go now." His hand left Nico's, and the son of Hades felt as though he were floating once more. Nico watched Will take a step down and nodded towards him, reluctantly.

As Will turned to leave for the second time that night, Nico reached out and grasped his hand once more, as he said, "Hey, Will?" The son of Apollo looked up at him, a hesitant smile slowly forming on his face. "See you tomorrow?"

The smile on Will's face grew until he was beaming ear-to-ear. He let out a breathy, "Tomorrow," squeezing Nico's hand, before sprinting off into the night holding on until the very last moment. Nico grinned as he watched Will leave, despite how it hurt his face and his heart. He had truly, never been happier.

Will had said 'tomorrow' as if it were filled with so much promise, so many possibilities. As if it wouldn't be a regular Tuesday in September, but instead a day of history, bigger than anything anyone could even fathom. A good day. A hopeful day.

Later, when he reflected upon that night, Nico remembered all the things it meant to him;

A lingering first kiss

A hand reluctant to release the other

A glance shared between two lost souls, finally found

A hopeful future, running off into the darkness

Nico turned to open the cabin door, and for once, he looked back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A / N That is NOT the end like I originally thought. There are at least 3 more chapters after this. Please share your thoughts, I love hearing them. Yeah, um - Long Live Solangelo!


	4. The Smouldering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A / N Haha, you thought it was the end! So did I... I guess we're both a bit surprised. 

Will awoke early the next morning, staring up at the bunk overhead, still trying to comprehend what had happened the night before. He had kissed Nico di Angelo. How on earth had he managed that? He rolled over and buried his face in his pillow, blushing despite himself at the memory. 

Once he got his heart rate back to a non-life-threatening level, he turned towards the window, seeing the first glimpse of the sun as it rose over Half-Blood hill. He heard his other cabin mates begin to stir, as was the way with the Apollo kids - they were all very early risers. Consequently, they also fell asleep promptly at night, often before other cabins had even made it to their bunks. Certainly before the second call of the harpies, so hopefully none of them had heard him come in late the night before. He didn't feel like trying to explain himself this early. 

Will sat himself up, letting the soft covers fall erratically around his waist. He stretched away the tension that had built up while he slept, before slumping his shoulders forward, arms resting on bent knees. He was combing his long, golden hair out of his weary, dream-filled eyes when Austin dropped down from the bunk above him, startling the last of his sleepy haze away. 

"God's Austin," Will said, stifling a yawn. "Little warning next time?" Austin turned and grinned at Will, already wide awake. 

"You're just tired 'cause you came in late last night," he said with a wink. "Who were you out risking the harpies with, anyway?" 

God's damn it, already? thought Will. It's too early for interrogations. He rolled his eyes at Austin, who walked away chuckling to himself. Will rose from his bunk and threw on a shirt, wanting to get out of the cabin as early as he could. 

He ran into Kayla on his way out. He sidestepped her awkwardly, already anticipating the string of questions forming on her lips, likely about his late arrival the previous evening, his less than presentable appearance, and hasty exit this morning, none of which he quite wanted to address. He made it out the door before she could even open her mouth and made straight for the archery range.

His thoughts had been all over the place since he had left Nico last night, and he couldn't seem to get them in check. He thought maybe getting some training in before breakfast might help him clear his head. He kept his head down, studying the loose stones as they turned underfoot. 

He was just passing the first of the strawberry fields when he finally tore his gaze from the ground beneath him. His body began to turn, without his head's consents, his eyes being drawn to a pale figure walking swiftly, a wonderfully short distance away. When Will realised who it was, his heart leapt in his chest. Considering he was a 'medical expert', the sensation did worry him slightly. 

"Nico," he called out, his excited pitch cutting swiftly through the crisp morning air. The son of Hades turned, raised a hand in acknowledgment and continued on his way, hands shoved back into his jacket pockets. 

Will tried not to appear too crestfallen, but he was confused. He thought he and Nico were closer now. They had gotten just about as close as two people could the previous night. Before Will had left, Nico had said to him 'See you tomorrow'. Will knew he was no people expert but saying see you tomorrow sort of implied you wanted to see them tomorrow. Nico, however, didn't seem to have read that social convention small print and seemed to be giving Will the cold shoulder this morning.

Of course, he acted like this with everyone one day or another, just turning cold with no explanation, but Will hadn't expected him to be treating him this way - not after last night. 

Will watched the son of Hades stalk off towards the combat arena, and he, in turn, made his way to the archery range.

As each intrusive thought made it into his head, he acknowledged it, pondered it, and released it with arrow after arrow he let fly. He didn't even notice where they landed. He shot until his arms grew too heavy to hold his bow. Then, he collected all his arrows and fired them again. He had never been the strongest archer, and that combined with his scattered thoughts was reflected in the dozens of arrows that had been fired into the outer rings of the target the ground surrounding it. One had gone so astray, it had embedded itself high in a tree on the edge of the range. 

Will sighed in exasperation and dropped his bow and quiver at the base of the tree. He circled it once, surveying the easiest path up before he began to climb. He plucked the arrow from the trunk and settled himself on a branch. He allowed his head to fall back and make sharp contact with the tree. From his vantage point, he could see the southern forest stretched out to his left, and the strawberry plants roaming the fields to his right. 

Directly in front of him lay the combat arena, where he could see Nico practicing his swordplay alone. He fought against invisible opponents, sparring with unseen enemies. Just as Will had sent his thoughts flying with his arrows, Nico cut his down with his stygian blade. His aviator jacket had been cast aside and despite the chill in the air his dark fringe was already beginning to stick to his forehead. The warm light of the dawn stretched out through the morning sky, basking a prince of darkness in its brilliance.

Will stayed in that tree, as uncomfortable as it was, for what felt like hours. The sun rose over the hill, and campers began moving towards the Dining Pavilion. Eventually, Nico left to join the others, sheathing his sword and retrieving the discarded jacket. Only when he was sure he couldn't be seen did Will clamber down from the tree. He slipped off the lowest branch, jumping the remaining distance. He quickly snatched up his bow and quiver and collected the final arrows he'd left haphazardly around the edge of the range. 

Will raced towards the pavilion but was still one of the last to arrive. Scanning the crowd of still drowsy demigods Will spotted Nico sitting alone like he always did, his head bent low. His fringe was falling into his eyes, but the son of Hades made no move to brush it aside. Instead, Nico was twisting the silver skull ring on his finger, his regular nervous habit. 

"Solace!" Will heard, coming from a camper in the assembled crowd of demigods from the Apollo cabin, who seemed to be the only attentive table present. This shook Will from his daze, and he rushed off towards his cabinmates. He had no desire to barrel straight into in the torrent of questions awaiting him, but he had even less of a desire to be the only camper left standing.

In his hurry to join his cabin mates, Will didn't notice that the call that had startled him, also brought someone else's attention to his presence. Nico watched the son of Apollo hurry toward his table unable to keep the longing from his eyes. He dropped his head to hide the feelings he couldn't bury out of sight. 

He hadn't been ready to approach Will about last night yet and had left his cabin early to get away from others so he could address his thoughts. He had gone to the arena to sort through them alone, but as his bad luck would have it, he ran into the one person he was trying to avoid. And what had he done upon seeing Will? Given him a weird, awkward wave and retreated back into his shell of social reclusiveness. He'd likely ruined the one relationship he cared about the most. Will deserved an explanation. Nico owed him that. And he would get one.

As soon as he figured out how to phrase everything he needed to say. He didn't want to ruin anything more than he already had.

As soon as the campers were dismissed Nico left briskly, returning to the arena. He fought ferociously, allowing the voices invading his mind to quieten themselves. The louder the thoughts grew, the more violent his strikes became. 

"Need a real partner for a change?"

Nico cut down a final straw dummy before lowering his sword. Breathing heavily, he turned and faced the only intrusive voice he was sure had not come from his mind...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A / N Lots of fact-checking, camp half-blood map reading, conflicting ideas, and unreadable notes went into this chapter. There is more bear with me, I hope you liked it.


	5. The Embers

"...Percy?"

"We'll have to bring the Pegasi out here to eat if you make much more of a mess," the son of Poseidon noted, turning up straw with his faded shoes.

Nico wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at him incredulously.

"What'd you say?" Percy asked, uncapping Riptide. The pen morphed into a sword with a familiar shink. 

"I'm really not in the mood today," Nico said, as he turned away, shaking his head. 

"Yeah, whatever," he heard Percy say behind him, and Nico smiled to himself.

In one swift motion, he turned on the son of Poseidon, unsheathing his sword and swinging it in a wide arc. Percy barely had time to raise his sword as Nico brought down his own. The blades clashed overhead, flinging sparks into the air. Percy laughed as they sparred, and even Nico found himself smiling. 

They fought ferociously, footprints covering the arena floor. Back and forth they dueled, swords clashing.

The sharp metallic ring of the blades reverberated around the camp and drawing the attention of hundreds to brawl. Many passers-by stopped to look but swiftly left to continue with their training. One demigod stayed to watch in horror and awe, as the two figures battled violently. 

Will Solace could hardly watch, as stygian iron met celestial bronze in the dust kicked up by their wielders. They could have been battling for their lives, had they both not been laughing with pure delight. 

Nico smiled, not cruelly like he usually did in battle, but a true, broad grin. Will's breath caught, watching the rarity unfold. As if he could hear it, Nico looked up at him, and their eyes met across the dusty arena floor. This split-second lapse of concentration gave Percy the opportunity he needed to disarm Nico. The stygian iron sword went skittering across the ground and the son of Hades found Riptide's point between his eyes. 

He gave Percy a small smile. The son of Poseidon grinned back, lowering his sword. 

Will watched as the son of Hades retrieved he fallen blade. The two most powerful demigods in the Western world shook hands and went their separate ways. Though he was sorely tempted, Will did not follow Nico. He simply watched as the son of Hades made his way from the arena to the campfire, lying low in the fading daylight. Will felt his face warm as memories from the night before swirled in his mind. It was all he could do to make it back to his cabin with his head held high. 

* * * 

Two tears hit the ground, separated only in distance. One contained all the brightness of the sun and was cruelly taken into the earth. The other fell from darkness and was licked up by the fiery tongue of the fire. 

Nico di Angelo sat by the fire, torn apart. He needed to see Will. He needed to talk to him. But he couldn't bring himself to.

"Alone again, Nico?"

Nico looked up in surprise and beheld the speaker. He scrambled hastily to his feet and bowed his head.

”Lady Hestia,”

”Oh please, there’s no time for that.” A girl, with a face no older than twelve, but eyes that held Millenia peered up at him from the flames, "Sit down, would you please? We have much to discuss."

"Okay?" The son of Hades hesitantly returned to his seat. 

"Now," said the goddess, a long, thin stick materialising in her hand. She began to poke at the flames, as they danced affectionally around its tip. 

"You must go and sort things out with young William, and soon, or Aphrodite will be in a state." 

Nico was taken aback by Hestia's forwardness. 

"I'm sorry, how-?"

"Oh, she claims to have planned for you the perfect tragedy, and will not stop bragging about it. Really it's rather-"

"Tragedy!" Nico exclaimed. "I don't understand... What-?"

"Oh but of course. The son of the sky and the prince of darkness. That's all she's been talking about since last night. I saw you, you know." she said with a wink.

Nico hoped the growing warmth in his cheeks could be blamed on the heat from the fire. Alas, the goddess of the hearth could not be fooled so easily.

"I'm all for preserving peace among my family," she said. "But I've grown too fond of you to see your story end tragically. I think its beautifully poetic, that you and Will have found each other. But it will be over before it's begun if you don't take the necessary steps." 

Nico nodded, still unsure of himself, and the goddess' intentions.

"He's a good boy, Nico," Hestia said softly. She scooped up the still smoldering pieces of ash, causing it to catch alight once more in her palm. "He deserves every happiness you can give him." 

She blew the ash from her hand, disappearing with it into the air. Smoke curled from the discarded embers around Nico's own fingers, his silver ring shimmered in their dying glow. He knew what he had to do. 

* * * 

Will made his way towards the cabins in dismay. The sky grew darker by the second as night drew closer. The more stars that came out from their hiding up above, the worse Will felt. 

Had he done something wrong? Was this somehow his fault? Will couldn't bear to cause Nico any pain. He was a healer after all. He wanted to help Nico out of the shadows, not push him further into their gloomy embrace. 

He saw Hestia's hearth standing out like a beacon against the fading dusk. The goddess gave him a knowing smile, but what she knew, Will didn't. Her warmth gave him no comfort and he kept walking, shoulders hunched.

Frustration built up inside of him, causing his brow to furrow and his fists to ball by his sides. He eyed a small rock sitting loosely on the ground. Fueled by torment, he moved to kick it sharply across the path. But he couldn't. As soon as he got close, the rock skittered just out of reach. His rage began to dissipate and was quickly replaced by curiosity. He knelt down, reaching out to it. But again, it rolled out of reach. He tried and tried but could not catch it no matter what he did. 

He tried a sneak attack on the stone, but it rolled away. It picked up speed and started barrelling towards the woods. Without hesitating, Will followed the rock, his pace quickening to keep up. He lost sight of it and looked around desperately. After a panic-filled moment, he caught sight of it speeding out from within the grass to his left. Wait no, it was skipping along the path to his right. 

Now there were two? Will chased after them both until they came to a halt just outside the woods. He watched, waiting for them to move again. He crouched down, hoping to finally catch one. Just as his fingers brushed the tip of the small stones, the ground began to rumble beneath him. 

Tiny bones began to rise to the surface, circling the rocks. They came together, slowly creating a small creature, the likes of which Will had never seen. It raised an elongated snout to him, the stones sitting like eyes in the sockets of the improvised skull. The animal was so tiny, it could have fit in the palm of his hand. It resembled some kind of rodent, with a curved spine, and a long tail that clicked as it moved across the ground. 

It looked around its surroundings, sniffing at the air with senses long absent. It spied Will, and its tail began waving with excitement. It took off unexpectedly, racing deeper into the woods.

"Wait-" Will called. 

The critter scurried up onto a rock, peering back at him. It cocked its head at him mockingly, before scampering further into the undergrowth. 

With a look that felt so final, Will peered back at the camp. He took a breath that shook in the chilling air, and he followed the creature of bones, hoping his would not join them.


	6. The Rekindling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N So, there may be a little swearing, nothing too extreme, but you've been warned...

Will followed the bone creature through the woods until it stopped in a clearing. From what little Will could tell of his surroundings, he was less than a mile North of the Archery range, though it felt like he had been walking for much longer. The little critter, assembled from the most fragile-looking of bones, began to run around his feet, clearly excited. 

"Hey!" Will laughed, trying to keep his balance as the creature ran underfoot. It froze mid-leap and clattered to the ground, merely bones once more. Will searched the tree line, expecting Nico to appear from the shadows as he frequently did. Only he could have lead him here with this creature made of bone.

It, therefore, startled him, when the figure he was searching for did not materialise from the misty forest depths, but instead appeared in the treetops above him. 

The son of Hades, upon being spotted, jumped nimbly from the branch he was perched on. He landed gracefully, without a sound, slowly rising to his full height. He struggled to meet Will's eyes, his gaze constantly darting around the empty clearing.

Neither boy spoke for a long while, unsure of what to say. The silence continued to thicken, before the smaller of the two took a shallow breath, exhaling a shaky, "I'm sorry."

Will moved towards Nico, reaching out to him, but the son of Hades stepped away. 

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "Old habits die hard, I guess," He stepped back towards Will, allowing the son of Apollo to take his hand. 

"You’re going to have to be patient with me," Nico said. Slowly, he raised his hands, encompassing Will's between them. 

"I’ve never been very good at, you know feelings," he said with a grimace. "But I want to be open with you. You deserve an explanation, after all the crap I put you through today," His thumb mindlessly drew circles the back of Will's hand. 

"And I guess I thought, I don't know," He took a deep breath, slowly raising his eyes, meeting Will's for the first time since the night before. "Maybe with you, it might not, not be so hard, to sort you know, to sort it all out," He stammered hastily through his phrasing. 

Will's heart could barely contain itself, seeing Nico so vulnerable. His previously impenetrable walls were finally beginning to crumble and lay around them like the pieces of bone littering the forest floor. 

Nico was still holding his hand, his absent-minded strokes making it hard for Will to concentrate. This lapse of attention was not improved as the son of Hades' hands slowly made their way up his arms, and snaked around his back. It took Will a total of three heartbeats to respond.

\- One - 

Nico was hugging him

\- Two -

It was an unusually comforting sensation

\- Three -

The son of Hades was shaking against him.

Instinct took over and Will wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, crushing Nico against him. They clung to each other in the dark, alone but no longer lonely. 

Nico pulled away from Will hesitantly, gazing up at him, the stars shimmering in his tear-filled eyes. Will had never seen anything more tragically beautiful and was almost glad when Nico turned away, fearing he too, would gift the earth his tears once more. 

Never once letting go of Will, Nico lead the way further into the trees, until Will was unable to recognise his surroundings in the gloom. 

They emerged into a part of the woods bathed so brilliantly in the moonlight it could have been day. A single weeping willow stood proudly, its long branches trailing along the forest floor, reflecting the silvery glow of the heavens. 

Nico guided Will all the way there. The curtain of leaves parted for the son of Hades as he approached, revealing a foreboding darkness inside.

Nico looked back towards Will. 

"Don't be afraid," he said.

"I'm not," Will replied, squeezing Nios hand in reassurance. "I'm with you."

The son of Hades gave him a small smile and plunged into the darkness. Will followed, not a step behind. 

For a moment, there was simply nothing. Not a sight, not a sound. Just the feel of Nico's hand within his own.

And then the stars erupted from the ground.

Once the initial shock left his rattled mind, Will could tell they were clearly not stars, but fireflies.

He looked around in wonder, taking in every moment of the phenomenon nature was performing for him.

"I didn't really know how to explain my feelings to you," the son of Hades said from behind him. "So I thought I'd show you instead."

The fireflies were only too keen to emphasise his point, swirling around Will and circling slowly towards the top of the tree.

"The night following the big battle with Gaia, I was wandering through the woods, trying to clear my head, when I found this place. It feels like living a miracle, being here. These living lights have made very much the same impression you have, on me."

He stepped closer to Will, leaving only the smallest of space between them. Yet he did not meet the son of Apollo's eyes, choosing instead to watch the spectacle unfold around them, contemplating his next words carefully.

"Your existence, and theirs, literally glow with goodness and hope. You cant see it," he said, wistfully, turning to meet Will's gaze, "But you radiate so much life, a light that can penetrate even the darkest shadows."

"Is that really how you see yourself?"

"One of many ways," he replied. Looking up at the dome of the tree's cascading branches, he whispered, "Let's go back outside. There're some things I need to say."

They remerged from the tree's comforting embrace and sat down side-by-side on the grass surrounding it that had already begun to glisten with dew.

Nico drew a shaky breath, "I've rehearsed this a hundred times or more, but I know it's not going to come out any way I planned, so just, bear with me." 

He looked to Will for confirmation, shadows haunting his face. Will nodded, and Nico continued, hesitantly. 

"You know I'm different from other people," he began, "I'm not from this century, I don’t fit in. And as much as everyone tries to deny it, they know it too.

"I was born in Italy, as you know, right at the start of World War II. People like me - like us -," Nico amened, "Were persecuted for how they felt. They were beaten, arrested, experimented on and killed because of who they loved. Obviously they tried to hide it, to bury those feelings because they simply couldn’t have them.

"Back then, you were seen as weak, lesser, not fit to do things like join the army. They tried to cure people like us. They thought we were diseased and they treated us like it," his breath caught, and he stared off into the distance, haunting memories flashing across his eyes. 

"I was young, I never fully understood what was going on around me. But there are some things you just can't escape," he began to tug on his sleeves, gently rocking back and forth. 

Will moved to sit facing the son of Hades, placing his hands carefully over the other boys. Nico stilled his agitated movements, looking to Will gratefully, as his anchor to reality. 

"When I came to America," he continued, "Things weren’t much better. I only remember pieces of my childhood but being this way never felt right. It was like, like carrying around a crime. I felt so guilty, for so long.

"The years I spent in the Lotus Casino, were supposed to help me forget. My sister," Nico paused, taking a shuddering breath, before clarifying, "Bianca and I had our memories wiped after, you know, after our mother died. We spent decades in that place, in the casino, and it was hell disguised as utopia.

"We weren’t meant to see some of the horrors that went on in there. In earlier days, there were still people with horrible ideas about the way society should be. You were supposed to be able to be who you wanted, but there as always prejudice, even in paradise. 

"I know it probably seems insane, for you, because these things happened so long ago but it doesn’t, it doesn't feel that way to me. My childhood is your history, and I know times have changed, but it doesn’t always feel that way.

"Only the surroundings look different. Italy, the Lotus, the present, they're all just covers, masks for the same attitudes that lurk beneath it...

"And the worst part," he said with a sob that Will felt reverberate within him, feeling so disturbingly wrong that he wanted to burn the world down so he'd never have to hear it again.

"Is that that isn’t even the problem! Sure it's hard to adapt, why wouldn't it be? But the reason, the real reason I’ve been avoiding you, is, well, it's you.

"No, crap, wait, that came out wrong. I like you Will, a lot. Sometimes it feels like too much. And I want to be with you, every second of every minute of every day. I want to be like everyone else. I want to have someone I can walk beside and not feel so alone. Someone who can hold me close and tell me everything going to be okay.

"But I can’t. I can’t do that to you. It would be selfish of me.

"I can’t make you happy..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'm sorry! I want to hug them both and tell them it's going to be okay. Hang in there! One more to go! I'd love your feedback, if you think there are anyways I can make this better!


	7. The Flame

A single tear rolled down Nico's cheek. 

It shone with a harsh beauty in the moonlight. A beauty that hurt Will more than any word or weapon ever could.

"Oh Nico," he said, his voice barely a whisper. He lifted his hand to cup Nico's face, wiping away the tear. The son of Hades leant into his hand, eyes closed. He couldn't bear to look at the blessing sitting before him, in case it wasn't there when they reopened

Nico half expected Will to be angry with him, to retaliate and lash out. But of course, that was not his way.

"It's beautiful out here," Will whispered, after a considerable silence. The pair looked up to the sky, where the last of the fireflies were making their way, blending in with the glittering lights of the celestial bodies above. 

Will looked at Nico and smiled. His gaze so full of love it froze Nico in his place, barely able to breathe in his presence. 

"I thought they were stars you know, coming up from the ground," he chuckled to himself, wrapping an arm around the son of Hades' shoulders. Nico smiled with relief.

"This - the night - it's so much more... impressive than the day, don't you think?" Will asked, phrasing his statement hesitantly, as if unsure how to find the words that could convey the admiration reflected amongst the stars in his eyes. 

"I think," Nico responded, matching Will's hushed tones, "You should be careful. I doubt your father would approve of you saying such things." 

Will's eyes stayed trained on the shadowy heavens above, but Nico saw his mouth quirk up in amusement. 

"It's those stars I think," he said, more a question than a certainty. He lay back into the grass, beholding them in thoughtful contemplation. 

"Their elegance is what makes the night so beautiful. Mere pinpricks, in the heavy cloth that we call nightfall. The pieces of beyond that the dark cover of sky cannot contain. The stars are beauty, in every essence of the word."

Nico lay down next to Will, gazing up at the obscurity that was the sky, trying to see what Will could. Trying to see its beauty, understand what drew him to it. 

"Why do you love it so much?" Nico asked, still unsure of what secrets of wonder the sky held that the son of Apollo alone could see. He was also desperate to understand this side of Will. Nico was familiar with his laid back personality and had come to adore the care he showed with others. But never before had Nico met a Will as awed and poetic as the one laying beside him.

"I think," Will said, hesitant in his response. "It's because the night sky is a place where two opposing forces can exist, side by side, and be at peace. Not to fight one another, not to outdo each other, just to simply be. The glittering stars can take shelter in the inky blackness above and not fear their own suffocation. That two extremes can come together to make something so utterly beautiful it's," he said, taking a shuddering to breathe. "Well, it's remarkable."

Will turned and propped himself upon his arm, and Nico felt his own breath catch. He hated being close to people, and physical contact made him cringe. But this closeness with Will now didn't seem to be enough. Despite being less than an arms reach away, Nico wanted to draw him even closer, to close the space cruelly separating them. But Will had not finished, and Nico did not interrupt. 

"The stars," Will continued, "Are our only beacon of hope on nights when even the moon has been shrouded. And," he said, reaching across to brush Nico's fringe from his face with a feathery touch, that made Nico's eyelashes flutter and his breathing turn shallow. "As long as I can find those stars reflected in your eyes, I will believe there is hope for me too."

Will leant so close, Nico could count the freckles spotted across the bridge of his nose. Their lips met for only a moment, Will drawing back to study Nico's eyes once more.

"I will wait for you Nico di Angelo," he said softly. "However long it takes, and for however long you'll have me, I will wait. Because you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Nico's forehead, "Are worth every second, every sunrise, every star in the sky." 

Will," croaked Nico, his voice breaking with emotion, "I think I'm in love."

"Well, that's good to hear, " Will chuckled. "Because I don't have any more awe-inspiring persuasive speeches left in me."

The boys smiled, to each other - the sun from above, the darkness from below - not even far enough for the dawn to come between them. 

"But," Will continued, eyebrows raised, "Since you're still not fully convinced," He leaned in close, and whispered in Nico's ear a truth even the Gods were not worthy of hearing. Nico felt every word as Will murmured against his skin. "I think I am too."

The stars had a right to be jealous that night, as the light met the dark beneath them, outshining even their simple beauty. Theirs was a flame never to be put out.

And it was the best moonlit kiss ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A / N I'm not crying your crying. 
> 
> This is most likely the end, because I don't think there's much more I can add. I'd love to hear what you thought, and if there's more stuff you wanna see don't hesitate to let me know. Yeah, long live Solangelo! 


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